Door-fasteher



UNITED STATES PATENT QEFICE.

DUNCAN E. MCDOUGALL, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

DOR-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 9,753, dated May 31, 1853.

T0 all 107mmt may concern Be it known that I, DUNCAN E. McDou- GALL, of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Inside Fastening for Doors, which I denominate the Travelers Security; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a side View of the apparatus, showing it applied fast to the door it being secured to the ioor and pressed tight up against the inside face and bottom edge of the door. This view shows clearly the application and use of the fastener. Eig. 2, is a back edge view of the apparatus but not applied to the door. Eig. 3, is a top or birds eye view of the same applied to the door. i

The same letters of reference in each of the several igures indicate corresponding part-s.

The nature of my invention consists in a novel portable contrivance for travelers and others to fasten the doors of hotels and other places on the inside in case they are not provided with locks and bolts, or when the locks are not sufficiently safe to insure protection against being picked or broken by ingenious rogues and burglars. The said contrivance, as will be seen from the description hereafter given, very eiectually answering the purpose intended and at the same time is made very light and small and can be carried in the valise or trunk of every traveler without any inconvenience or trouble and as it is very simple and cheap its great utility will be readily seen.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, represents the plate which bears against the inner face of the door B, it having its lower end bent in the shape of an elbow so as to form a hook or lip C, to be inserted under the bottom edge of the door and on the inner face so that when strain is applied to Jforce the door open there will be resistance offered both at the bottom and on the inner face. This plate and its lip will be clearly seen in Fig. 1; and also the manner in which the lift passes under the door and over the threshold of the same. On

the back of the said plate there is cast a bar D, having its back edge set with ratchet teeth E, and also having a series of graduating holes E, cut through its face and as seen 1n Fig. l. To this bar two curved or other suitable shaped levers G, H, are secured fast for a given time by removable pins Z), b, as seen in Figs. l, 2. The pins b, titting in either of the holes F, as the case may require or according to the depth and height of dierent thresholds. There being a large number of holes and consequently the levers can be set high or low to suit dierent thresholds. The lever G is set below that H, and is attached at one end to the claw or floor plate I, by the fulcrum pin d, upon which it turns in the manner shown -in Figs. l, and 2, and to the ratchet bar by the removable fulcrum pin I), upon which it turns.

The Plate to which the lever G is attached has a number of sharp spikes f, f, set in it which are driven into the floor in the manner shown in Fig. l, to prevent the apparatus being moved from contact with the door by persons on the outside after being once applied. The manner in which the lever G, is arranged and operates will be seen in Fig. l. The lever H, which serves to force the plate A, against the door, and give it a downward thrust instead of upward, and also `to force or press the lever Gr, down vertically and consequently through it force the plate out horizontally against the door, is connected to the ratchet bar of the plate A, by the fulcrum pin b, and turns freely upon it, between the bars 7L, h, that overlap the ratchet bar a recess is cut, into which either of the ratchet teeth iit when the apparatus is applied so that the plate A, or its ratchet bar will always be kept in contact with the said lever and consequently it will, require more power to force the door open, and it will be almost impossible to loosen the set screw J, from its recess when either of the teeth of the ratchet are in the recess z", as shown in Fig. l. The other end of the lever H, always hangs loose and has the set screw J, passing through it in t-he manner shown in the drawing. This set screw serves to force the levers apart one up and the other down-and at the same time cause them to give a horizontal direction to the plate A; they causing it to move out horizont-ally and to press firmly against the door, and at the same time prevent any vertical or up and down movement and consequent strain on the hinges. The end of the set screw J, fits in either of the recesses j, and cannot escape fromthem after the apparatus is applied to the door, unless loosened from o-n the inside.

To apply this fastener it is necessary first to take out the fulcrum pin b, of the lever Gr, and thereby disconnect the claw or floor plate I, from the plate A, then place the hook 0r lip C, under the door and the retaining ratchet plate tight against the same after which connect the lever G, with the claw plate and let the latter rest on the two back spikes and press the lever G, down until they take into the floor", and the distance between the hind spikes becomes too short for the length of the lever and consequently the door will be made fast. After this is done the heel of the boot must be applied to the claw plate and the spikes forced into the floor and the lever H, being secured in the manner shown; the set screw must be turned sufficiently to form a pressure between the two levers-one being pressed down and the other upward and yet made to operate upon the plate A, and give it a horizontal direction against the door; this being done it is firmly secured and it will not be possible to Open it unless the screw be loose-ned from its recess from on the inside.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- Combining the two levers G, H, or their equivalents with the retaining lipped plate A, C, and claw plate I, and set screw J or their equivalents, the said set screw serving` to operate the levers and force the plate A,

C, horizontally against and under the door; and retaining it firmly in that position by means of' the same, and said levers in the manner and for the purpose described.

DUNCAN E. MGDOUGALL. Witnesses:

CHARLES E. BRINTNALL, A. N. MERRILL. 

